Haunted
by Ataahua
Summary: AU- Stalked when she sleeps, yet impossibly intrigued by the haunter's vessel when she's awake. The Reaper's clock is ticking, but somehow Kelsi's ill-fate becomes all the more murky with each word she exchanges with the mysterious Marik Ishtar.
1. Prologue: Massacre of the Mind

**HAUNTED  
****By Ataahua**

* * *

**PROLOGUE  
****Massacre of the Mind**

A vast sheet of goosebumps blanketed a young woman's skin that not even constant rubbing of the arms could soothe. Her emerald eyes gleamed with hot tears that she barely succeeded to suppress. Short, sleek blonde bangs framed her face nicely, reaching as far as her dainty chin at the front and the nape of her neck at the back. Gazing at the grey carpet intently, the pale woman's overgrown fringe irksomely intruded her sight, not that she cared. She already felt miserable. She had for exactly a week; and it shattered her inside, as if the Reaper's eerie, skeletal hands were hungrily ripping every ounce of joy from her heart and, in place of joy, sketchily threaded together an artificial heart of sinister despair that, in any victim's opinion at that point, would surely prove more useful a heart left hollow.

The window to her left was stained with fresh water droplets and the shrill hiss of rain slapped the concrete side-walk beyond the rain-stained glass without mercy. It was the sixth of June, and she sighed as she pleaded for summer's weather to finally present itself. It was late this year, as if seeking to only heighten her despair. She simply loathed the rain; for the past week, it had taken every ounce of strength she had to simply gather up the courage to leave the dryness of the indoors. She yearned for her life to be normal once more, as it had up until recently. She yearned to be rid of the horrid experiences that had befallen her sorry state... And she yearned to once again be wholly convinced that her only purpose in life _wasn't_ to serve as a madman's eternal puppet.

Soft footsteps tickled her wary ears and her eyes flashed to their location. The brunette receptionist in this rather empty room was calmly approaching her, a gentle smile upon her pretty face. When she stood merely a metre away, she cleared her throat quietly, although the still-sitting teen's ears perceived almost anything; she was always alert...and with good reason. "Kelsi Edwards, I presume?"

Kelsi nodded. A very brief raise of her eyes that one would likely mistake for shyness accompanied the curt nod. In reality, it wasn't shyness, but an action manipulated by enough trepidation and misery to last a lifetime.

The receptionist gestured to a door reading 'Doctor June Summers' in simple, bold text. "She's ready to see you, Miss Edwards."

Kelsi nodded once again, paying no mind as the receptionist retreated across the room to the counter that also served as her desk. Instead, Kelsi's shaky, but somehow firm grip tightened on the small, white purse resting in her lap. With a shaky breath, Kelsi rose to her feet and took a moment to neaten her clothes out of habit: a simple pair of blue, skinny jeans; a buttoned, yellow polo shirt, covered by a white raincoat; and chequered chucks enclosing her feet which were still slightly numb from the cold outside.

Then, Kelsi made haste for the doctor's door, and as soon as she reached it, knocked on it thrice with a slightly shaking hand. She wasn't entirely certain of _why_ her hand was shaking; after all, this would surely help her to find balance in her life again: something Kelsi longed for with a blazing passion.

"Please come in, Kelsi," a woman spoke from through the door. The voice was loud enough to be heard, yet quiet enough to be considered calm.

Kelsi eased it open hesitantly, and after quietly stepping inside, steadily clicked it shut behind her. "Hello," Kelsi greeted meekly, as she curiously examined the spacious, yet rather basic room. The walls were beige and the deep brown carpet had an almost heavenly feel beneath her feet.

Burgundy curtains lashed away the rays of the sun that tried and failed to intrude the room; instead, the room was illuminated by tens of tiny, flickering candles, casting a soothing atmosphere across the space. As she approached the middle aged woman seated in a decidedly inviting chair, Kelsi glanced as an afterthought at the shadow that took hesitant steps alongside her.

"Good morning, Kelsi," the lady greeted from where she sat as she flashed a rather wrinkly smile. The chair in which she sat was situated beside a psychiatrist-bed. "_May_ I call you Kelsi?"

Kelsi swallowed hard as she slowly, almost cautiously, nodded in reply. She felt awfully awkward being here. "Sure," Kelsi breathed as the woman rose from the seat to offer a hand in greeting.

With a warm smile, the woman introduced herself as, "June Summers." Her grip as they shook hands was a reassuring one. "Feel free to call me June, dear."

"Okay," Kelsi murmured, glancing down at the bed to their right with hesitant eyes. "Uhh; should I...uhm—"

June nodded. "Of course." She then returned to her chair, calmly watching as Kelsi positioned herself as comfortably as she possibly could upon the bed, considering she felt almost insane in this place. Although, of course, her opinion of psychiatric treatment was no doubt manipulated by the media.

"So, Kelsi," June sought out the notebook and ballpoint pen that rested upon the wooden table to her right, "how old are you?"

"I'm eighteen."

June nodded. "So you've just graduated, I take it?"

Kelsi stiffened, but through a cracked voice, forced out a meek 'yes'.

"Hm." June furrowed her brows and noted something down following Kelsi's bewildering answer. "So what brings you hear, Kelsi?"

_She's already scribbling down notes,_ Kelsi thought as her gaze followed every stroke the pen took, her nerves really beginning to bubble at the terrifying thought of being diagnosed as insane.

"Kelsi?" June queried, cocking her head to the left.

Kelsi's jaw unknowingly clenched as her fists curled at her sides. Her eyes, however, blankly stared at the beige ceiling, the green irises not at all reflecting the fear that controlled every fibre of her being. "For the past week, I...I've been... _seeing_ things." Her fists tightened in fearful reminiscence. "_Experiencing_ things I know _aren't_ normal." She pursed her lips for a moment as she began to shiver involuntarily. "Dreams...Hallucinations...I don't know what they are."

"What do these experiences entail?"

Kelsi clenched her eyes shut in horror, utterly sick at the prospect of reliving such terrors. "Running..." she whispered gravely. "Screaming...Hiding..." Her eyes suddenly snapped open as she levelled to a sitting position. "And the ending, though reached by different scenarios—" heated tears began to burn her eyes, irritatingly clouding her vision, "—it's always the same!"

June was busy scribbling down notes. "What outcome do you speak of?" she queried, a solemn frown weighing down her lips as she paused in writing to glance up at the trembling teenager.

Her skull suddenly pounded as heated tears gathered in her wide eyes, dread flooding through their depths. "...I'm always..." she whispered, her voice breaking with the final word, "..._murdered_." Kelsi sniffled as she continuously wiped away the many tears that drenched her face like the rain saturated the sizeable town outside. Her next words were whispered shakily. "I. . .I just want this all to stop!"

June's eyes widened for a flash of a second and, suddenly, Kelsi was sure she caught alarm swimming deep within the doctor's eyes. "Please," June whispered softly...sympathetically...as she rested a reassuring hand upon the girl's. "Tell me more."

* * *

This story was inspired by the song of the same name, by Evanescence. Reviews are much appreciated guys! ;D


	2. Chapter 1: Two Sides Of Solitude

**CHAPTER 1  
****Two Sides Of Solitude**

"_One week ago to this day found me downright psyched for the graduate's trip: Camp Adair. Oh, what I would give to have known what bloodcurdling curse I was bordering. Oh, what I would sacrifice to wipe free these petrifying memories that constantly haunt my feeble mind. Oh, how I yearn to no longer fall victim to a madman every time I dream. Because, Doctor Summers, on the travel bus that would sweep us to Camp Adair...that was where it all began..."_

* * *

A broad smile stretched my lips as I pranced onto the dimly lit travel bus; a spanking new graduate of Eastcreek Girls High School, sister school of Eastcreek Boys. I'd just shoved my suitcase into the bus' storage compartment and now stood at the front of the bus, examining the rows of seats. _Which ones should I claim for Lillian, Jazz, Monica and I?_

It was a good thing I was early, for no one was there to moan at the fact I was blocking their way onto the bus. In fact, only one other person, besides the aged male bus driver, currently occupied the bus. I wasn't at all sociable with the students of Eastcreek Boys, so I didn't recognise the guy gazing out the window to my left. He sat on the foremost seat of the bus, his bag resting beside him on the seat closest to me.

"Hey there!" I chirped, my grin having never left my visage. I was a very bubbly person; I loved to make anyone's day that much better and enjoyed the natural satisfaction that cheering them up brought. However, my lips twitched slightly, smile fading little by little as time silently ticked by. I could perceive his exotic eyes through the window's reflection as they gazed directly at me.

Eventually, a small frown weighed down my lips as I breathed a sigh, rejection arriving to laugh in hysterics at me. I continued to make my way to the back of the bus to claim the five seats. There were only my three friends and I, but the back of the bus was more spacious, plus it was always quite amusing to wave out the back window at anyone driving behind us.

However, when I glanced over my shoulder at the silent stranger, through the plastic sheet separating his seat from the stairs that led one off the bus, two cryptic orbs were set on my retreating form. Only when he realised that his stare was being returned did he avert his attention out the window to his right once more, once again losing himself in a vast ocean of thoughts I'd never know.

Shaking my head slightly in an attempt to be rid of uneasiness that I couldn't comprehend, I eventually reached the end of the bus. I swung my small backpack (loaded with snacks for the road) from my shoulder to the small space of floor between my seat and the one in front; then I slumped into my seat with a hushed sigh, seeking out the dream-world my iPod conjured up as I waited for my friends.

* * *

_"My friends' arrival didn't take long, nor did the arrival of every other student that attended the camp. Soon, the roll call had been completed, and we had finally hit the road; however, there was one little thing that simply wouldn't quit bothering me..."_

* * *

"Hey, Monica?" I addressed, gaining the brunette's attention that sat on my right. On the back seat, from left to right, sat Monica, Me, Lillian and Jazz.

Monica leaned closer, sensing the subtle tone strung through my voice. "Yeah?" she asked with a curious gaze.

"You're on top of all the guys at Eastcreek Boys, right?" I whispered; then rolled my eyes as Monica smirked perversely. "Not _literally_ on top of them!"

"I know most of them." She cocked her head slightly. "Why?"

I bit my bottom lip a little as I lifted the pale hand that had previously rested on my lap. "Who's he?" I questioned, gesturing to the strange boy at the front of the bus, who still silently gazed at the scenery beyond the window a black curtain was drawn back from.

"_Him?"_ Monica asked, tone etched with something akin to poorly concealed concern.

When I nodded, Monica sighed in what must've been slight anxiety. "That's Marik Ishtar," she whispered, as if she'd be slapped for revealing his name. "He keeps to himself, so if you're charmed by his looks, don't even bother. After all, a guy _that_ hot would _not_ be sitting alone at the front of the bus if people had _succeeded_ in befriending him, and let me tell you that people have certainly tried."

"Well then," I murmured as I rose to my feet with a slight grin, "perhaps I'll be the first."

Monica shook her head furiously. "No, Kelsi; you're fighting a lost cause!" she almost hissed, insistent and rather alarmed. "Don't go and embarrass yourself like this!"

"Oh, come on!" I remarked with a small pout. "It'll be fine; you'll see!" With that, I brought forth a pleasant smile as I headed for the front of the bus.

When I approached the silent guy now revealed as Marik, I casually gripped the headrest of the seat his bag rested on, a small smile gracing my lips. "Hey again," I greeted, not at all surprised when he provided me no recognition; however, I thought I caught him stiffen. "I'm Kelsi," I stated, my tone oh-so-friendly. Hopefully I wouldn't freak him out. "What's your name?" I asked; I wasn't about to go saying I already knew it, That could seem a little disturbing.

Marik watched me through the window. "My name is of no concern to you," he muttered rather harshly.

"Oh," I simply voiced, taken aback by his hostility. "I...was only wondering if you wished to sit with my friends and I at the back. You seem quite lonely up he—"

"I hold no interest in your pity," he almost spat, the curve of his revealed stomach noticeable beneath his lavender tank top, reflecting the intriguing colour of his piercing stare that met me when he finally turned to look me directly in the eyes. "In fact, I detest pity. Solitude is my only company."

I simply blinked, shocked by unexplained aggression I had never endured before now. My eyes narrowed defensively, disbelief flashing through them. "It seems the word 'polite' is non-existent in your vocabulary!" I growled in a quiet tone, which was only hushed further by the multiple conversations lingering about the bus.

"_Polite_? You wish I was more _polite_?" Marik spat back, and I must've been seeing things when a faint glow began to graze his forehead. "Well, I hope to see you _still around_, little Kelsi..." For a sliver of a second, I was sure that his tone, like his eyes, had taken on a darker edge, like the wailing commotion of a livid chainsaw.

I took a step backwards, the back of my foot thumping against the metal legs of the unoccupied seat behind me. "Wh-What?" I stuttered, eyes wide in sheer discomfort. "What did you say?"

Marik cocked his head to the right with a bewildered blink; his eyes were no longer harsh, his voice no longer a mechanical growl, and the glow I was uncertain had blemished his forehead was no longer present, if it ever had been. He was normal once again, but I certainly wasn't: I was freaked out!

"I said 'I hope to see you around', didn't I?" Marik queried, his blond brows furrowing inquisitively

"I...was sure you just said... 'I hope to see you _still_ around'." I swallowed hard, watching as his gaze seemed to glaze over, his body falling stiff once more. "B-But that's stupid. I-I'm just paranoid."

"Yes...You are merely paranoid," Marik murmured softly, his gaze averting out the window once more; perhaps in a vain attempt to conceal from my cautious eye the sickened expression that had suddenly swept across his now-ashen face. His next words were no more than a broken whisper. "Now leave me."

* * *

_"And so I did. I left him to his dismal solitude, and the remainder of my day was uneventful. I kept my distance from Marik Ishtar; something I deem understandable, considering my first encounter with the mysterious man However, when the ominous darkness cloaked the land in its chilling embrace...that was when the true terrors began..."_

* * *

I jolted upright in my bed; my wide eyes gleaming with fresh tears of terror. Tiny beads of sweat trickled down my pallid face, my breath shallow and unsteady. I swallowed hard in an attempt to suppress the bitter bile that churned at the back of my throat, my daunting dream fresh in my racing mind.

Those...eyes. They were so vivid within my mind to the point where, at this very moment, I shuddered at the vision of my fearful gaze upon them, feeling like they were staring me down through the darkness: those empty, lavender pools... Burned into my brain to the point where I was certain I could sketch an uncannily precise image of them with the necessary utensils at hand.

An involuntary tremor, evoked by fear, shook my body and I precariously drew my sheets closer, up over my twitching mouth.

That...laugh. It echoed darkly through my mind, penetrating my skull and shaking it around, succeeding in bestowing upon me a merciless headache. The laugh was sinister, treacherous, insane, malicious.

Beams of moonlight had flooded through the skeletal arms of dying trees that belonged to an eerie, mysterious forest; the moon's rays illuminated the forest's vast landscape. An aged, ramshackle house had silently stood, resting alone at the core of a deathly quiet clearing. I now realized what said house was: the three-century old building nearby, reached by means of a five minute walk alongside a small, eel-infested creek. This creek ran a mere one hundred metres north of Camp Adair; however, what struck the most fear in me was that...it had been rumoured that house was _haunted_. I knew I shouldn't fall victim to such beliefs that only a _gullible child_ would! The rumours were probably started by the camp guides in a sly attempt to either terrorize or excite their guests. But then again. . .

My green orbs widened in an ounce of fear, and I stiffened, frozen, as disturbing questions flashed through my mind while my body shivered ruthlessly. _**Was**__ that all a dream?_ I couldn't evade that thought as I forced down the bile that crept up my throat, retching a little at its sickening taste. _I mean...it felt so real._

My hands balled into firm fists. This was the last thing I wanted to consider, yet I _knew _it would plague my strung-up mind..._knew_ I wouldn't seize an iota of sleep until a conclusion was ultimately reached.

Certainly not wanting to be so loud that I woke my camp mates, I silently grabbed my white cell phone. It made a soft clicking sound as I made haste to flip it open, and my eyes quickly adjusted to the bright light of the screen. I noted the time with ease. _Exactly midnight...That's kind of...ironic,_ I thought amidst my mind, unable to suppress my shock, _...and weird._

I breathed out an unsteady sigh; of course I was quite worried. I doubted I'd grasp a firm hold on the soothing strums of the mind that would return me to my sleep...Not tonight. Not after that dream; fear slowly ate away at me...cruelly, mockingly, knowing I held no means to erase it from my sleep-deprived mind. I admit that I certainly feared a reoccurrence of that dream, but really, what were the odds of that...right?

At this point, my anxiety was irreversible after such thoughts. I repositioned myself in my bunk bed. I had selected the top bunk in one corner of the room, beside the sliding door that served as my cabin's exit. This room fit four two-person bunks, so there were obviously eight people sleeping in here, including myself.

Without warning, my stomach began to churn; an odd, disturbing thought flashing through my slightly spinning mind. My breathing quickened, suddenly shaky, and I failed to ease it as my ears perceived what my eyes could not.

_Silence._ A suffocating silence.

My pale hand trembled ever so slightly as my thumb pressed a silver button on my phone. The screen illuminated for the second time in minutes and I flashed the screen around the room, with a scrutinizing eye. An chilling presence encased my heart, crushing and weighing down the organ to the point that I felt it would no longer beat. A bony hand grasped me within its sickening, inescapable hold... The bunks were empty, the bed-sheets neat and untouched. How...How was that possible? Where were my camp mates? What..._happened_ to them?

Frantically, I shook my head from side-to-side, frighteningly murmuring quick 'No's. "This is all just a dream!" I insisted, my fists clenched so tightly my knuckles had surely ran white. "I-I'm still dreaming," I whispered quickly, my voice breaking while my tone grew thick with denial. Somehow, I knew better. This felt...too real.

In a final, desperate attempt, I tried the classic movie method and pinched my arm; as my long nails sunk into my skin, the tender flesh blanketed by tiny goosebumps, a pang of pain shot through my arm, making me wince

My eyes shot wide in overwhelming despair. "This isn't a dream," I breathed, a shaky sob pitifully escaping my lips as I began to shiver without control. "...This is _real_."

As I somehow gathered up the courage to crawl out from beneath my sheets, I fought back tears of agonising terror, thankfully (and amazingly) succeeding. In this gloom, it was truly challenging enough to see _without_ a vision blurred by tears.

I took my sweet time as I climbed down the sturdy, wooden ladder; partially because I _knew_ I would most likely slip if I rushed, especially because I was trembling; however, another piece of me wished to prolong discovering the reason for the disappearance of my camp mates. What if they had met a fatal farewell while I had tossed and turned, trapped in my nightmare? Were they the only ones who had mysteriously disappeared? Or was I the only one left? What if every parent, teacher and camp mate here had somehow been swept from existence? What if I was all..._alone_?

I shuddered, certainly not wishing to think about _that_! All I had left at this point was my hope...but why did that thought—an attempt of self-assurance—only increase my doubts that this was all an enormous misunderstanding? Perhaps some despicable prank? ...And that everyone was safe and I was simply being paranoid old me again?

I chewed my quivering, bottom lip. That was yet another thing I didn't wish to think about! Why even think _at all_? Was it not only working me up further?

I huffed sharply as my feet met the ground, and slowly crept over to the sliding door. I threw aside the white curtains covering the door, my eyes suddenly thrown wide as a pair of soulless, lavender eyes laughed back at me: the eyes from my dream! I was sure that a twisted roar of laughter entwined with my terrified scream as my eyes clenched shut, and I stumbled backwards in sheer horror. I was winded as my back collided with the harsh, wooden floor.

I wheezed, coughed and spluttered all at once, regaining much desired air as my eyes, after a long and hesitant moment, snapped back to the sliding door...No one was there. I cocked my head to the right, my violent shaking never ceasing.

_But I...could've sworn—_ I let loose a sigh, furiously shaking my head in an attempt to maybe knock some sense back into me. _Perhaps my mind is playing tricks on me, but then..._ I glanced at the empty bunks where my camp mates should've been resting. _No!_ I snapped in my mind, wanting nothing more than to find a solution to set my mind at ease...to a certain extent anyway, for right now total piece of mind was a decidedly impossible task. _My crazy mind: that __**must**__ be it! I'm already frightened, so it must be my paranoid mind again!_

Yet, once more, I knew better. Deep down, I knew this was as real as my unyielding fear. Deep down, I knew what I'd seen. I'd seen those eyes. I shuddered as fear began to overwhelm me more than ever before, as my mind conjured up a dark and daunting scenario.

_Perhaps that house isn't the only thing being haunted._


	3. Chapter 2: Let The Hunt Commence

**CHAPTER 2  
****Let The Hunt Commence**

With wobbly legs, I found myself struggling to rise to my feet. I suddenly felt weak, most likely induced by fear, but after a few pitiful stumbles, I was quite surprised to find I was on my feet. I kept a sharp eye on the sliding door, curtains set aside by my hand. At any given moment, I half-expected an acute scream to shoot from my lungs, should the enigmatic owner of those venomous, lavender irises divulge themselves once more. But only this minute, had I not reassured myself that those eyes were merely an image painted by my dream-state and nothing more? Simply fabricated by my overly paranoid, sleep-deprived mind? That they were no more than a daunting image given life in my nightmares alone?

I heaved a sigh, miserably failing to shove aside this disconcerting thought. How could I possibly ponder anything but those two malicious pools? Such a nerving string of events had transpired in such a short period of time!

First, that terrible dream, burnt into my memory forevermore: the haunted house that, according to framed photographs I'd seen hanging in the camp's cafeteria, was extraordinarily identical to the rumoured-to-be-haunted house near this camp; then, there were those soulless eyes, which had mercilessly pierced my own...that insane laughter, capable of enthralling and immobilizing any individual ill-fortuned enough to hear it. Then, I'd awoken to find my camp mates had seemingly flashed from existence, their beds having laid untouched, as if they hadn't even occupied this cabin to begin with!

My green eyes went wide, realisation sparking to life within them. Perhaps if they'd never been in this cabin, their luggage wouldn't be lazily thrown about the floor.

Eyes clenching shut for a moment; so tightly they noticeably twitched, as if by tugging on my closed lids my fear would seize my attention long enough to beseech me not to look. But I had to learn the truth sooner or later; and I'd rather sooner, so I could work on overcoming this obstacle and erasing my fear, plus I simply needed to get the hell out of here!

I was sure the shrill scraping sound of my grinding teeth bounced through my mind like an exceedingly sharp saw sliced through weeping trees, and I finally overcame my fear, prying my desperately protesting eyes apart. I immediately regretted the action. Sheer terror engulfed me within its choking embrace, squeezing my near-hyperventilating lungs so harshly they seem to sting. I frantically scanners over the room in one final, but hopeless attempt to prove myself wrong. No luggage, aside from my own, was in this eerie room.

A shudder erupted from deep within and I struggled to swallow as I stole a glance at the sliding door once more. If this was so...if right now, solitude truly was my only company, then my first response should be to check out every other cabin here, to ensure this wasn't some substantial (not to mention insanely evil) prank my camp mates were pulling. I certainly prayed with every fibre of my being that it _was_!

I forced steady breathes in a vain attempt to ease my wailing nerves, but somehow it only made me feel worse. I struggled to force my trembling hand to reach out and grip the sliding door, its handle so cold I flinched slightly at a first touch. Freezing for a drawled moment, I gazed at my pale hand with panicked eyes. It shook violently...involuntarily...as it gripped the handle so tightly my knuckles ran white. Was I truly so frightened that I sought some insane form of condolence by gripping onto a mere handle? Was fear truly dominating me so drastically? I must be utterly insane, although after tonight, I doubt being diagnosed as such would come as a _complete surprise_.

After a lengthy and hushed silence, I inhaled slowly; unknowingly holding my breath as I unlocked and slid aside the glass door. An urgent, overwhelmingly shocked scream escaped my dry lips as, suddenly, a flash of silver lashed through the ebony darkness. _Kni-Knives?_

An agonizing wave of pain sliced through me, like a million abnormally oversized needles sinking into my skin with a sickening _squelch_. Clumsily (not to mention noisily) stumbling backwards, my eyes snapped down to scrutinize my sweat-laden body, and my blonde brows furrowed in bewilderment as my eyes scanned my trembling form. No evidence of that fresh experience was perceivable. Nothing at all.

_Where...are the knives?_ Tears now clawed at my abnormally wide orbs. _I-I was sure that..._

I threw my head from side-to-side. _I must be paranoid,_ I attempted to convince myself. _Perhaps it was the wind; it could've been a gust of cold air from the outdoors, suddenly penetrating the warmth of the cabin._

A disturbed frown unwillingly tugged at my lips. _Unless...someone_is_haunting me, just like that supposedly haunted house._ I bit my bottom lip quite reluctantly, failing to swallow the lump jammed in my stinging throat, dry from my previous near-hyperventilating. _Maybe...someone is toying with my mind. Tricking me into seeing the terrifying...the things that should be sealed within the confinements of my nightmares and—_

Without warning, a dry chuckle suddenly reverberated throughout the night. It was low and menacing; if voices were capable of being grated, this laugh would sure grate the cheese...so to speak.

I froze with horror-struck eyes (the only things I could move), desperately scanning my surroundings for the dark laugh's owner...but then again, did I truly wish to spot them?

I was taken aback by the surprisingly light landscape, and I needn't peek to be aware of the full moon hanging high amongst the blazing stars, which were veiled by the ominous, wispy clouds drifting overhead. Buckets of moonlight flooded over the sub-zero landscape below, where unseen crickets sung, unbeknownst to the utter terrors I presently endured. I was expecting...darkness...and a silence bestowed upon the night by the lethal Reaper himself. This night seemed no different from any other.

But perhaps that was just it. It _seemed_ like any other night. _What if this is a hallucination? That would explain my supposedly non-existent camp mates!_

My eyes broadened in recollection. "And speaking of camp mates..." I breathed, thrusting my legs into motion as I began to rush along the lengthy deck for the cabin to the left of my own, the thumps beneath my feet seeming to stalk along behind me like some blood-curdling monster thirsting for my blood-spattered carcass. This daunting image only hastened my strides further out of fright, as well as my heaves for air. An eerie, gut feeling loomed over me, whispering in my paranoid ear like a chilling breeze with a sinister warning. It seemed to whisper that I was being chased...stalked..._hunted_.

A meek sob forced my lips apart. _Why does the neighbouring cabin seem so far away? It's only about ten meters to the left of my own._ Another pitiful sob. _Why does it feel like I've leapt one hundred steps?_

When the spine-chilling rustling of bushes hissed in my ears, I broke into an all-out sprint as a fiery adrenaline seized my slender body in its protective embrace. Midnight's icy breeze bit and whipped at my numbing skin, the cold stinging my eyes and a thick layer of sweat drying upon my pale brow. I could perceive my unsteady breaths amid the night's grim silence. The crickets no longer sung. The silence was deathly, and describing it as deathly certainly wasn't my most ingenious idea! That only evoked frightening thoughts—intuitions—that I would die tonight. I sure longed for this "intuition" to have been merely sparked by paranoia, and to actually possess no worth whatsoever!

After what one would believe a lifetime, I finally slid to a halt at the neighbouring cabin. To my surprise, the sliding door was unlocked, and I unquestionably took no time at all to urgently clamber inside, for in my opinion, the warmth and supposed safety of the cabin was far more superior than that of the ice-cold wilderness. That was when I lifted a numbing finger and flicked on the light…well, I tried to.

I gulped for air that fear mockingly denied me as I furiously flicked the light switch back and forth, but to no avail. Either it was broken, or…someone had meddled with it. I definitely preferred the first scenario!

After a quick clear of my throat, I heard myself whisper dryly, "…H-Hello?" I sounded dried than two week old toast, and my fear was oh-so-apparent. A second clear of the throat, before I repeated, "Hello?" My words were laden with unease as I ventured further into the darkness…the unknown. "Is any—Is anybody here?" I chewed on my wildly trembling lip. "Is anyone…awake?"

A foreboding chuckle suddenly rumbled through the dejecting gloom. The same subtle laughter I'd heard only moments earlier. I immediately knew this was my cue to run…to hastily flee the owner of this sinister laugh, but I—I couldn't; it was as if my feet would no longer obey my mind, terror manipulating them into remaining glued to the wood beneath them. I was frozen in pure fear. Fear that I had never before fallen victim to, nor did I deserve it.

Suddenly, an almost mechanical voice, possessing a horrifyingly poisonous edge, hauntingly spoke up from amidst the ebony gloom. "No one is here, my dear."

A sharp breath scraped my throat, unwaveringly catching itself there as I stiffened, back straight as I stumbled backwards, almost as if his mere voice had lashed through the darkness to strike me with an agonizing blow. It might as well have. His voice daunted me, gruesomely dripping with delight at my feeble expense.

"Perhaps I, myself, am not even here."

If fear hadn't painfully gripped me within its no doubt inescapable hold, freezing me where I stood, pale-faced and sweating with hopelessness, the deep snicker that soon followed the stranger's words would've surely induced a shudder that shook my body. And yet, although I was physically frozen, my thoughts were running wild, forceful thoughts like a raging flood that ensued the crumbling of a colossal dam. _Who is this person?_I thought, dizzy at the hands of my body's violent shivers. _Their low voice proves their gender is that of a male, but what are their intentions?_I shuddered. _No doubt terrible; their mere voice is all one needs to answer such a question, and—wait! He says there is no one in this room, with the exception of me. That perhaps he, himself, is not even here; but how can—!_

"You'll simply have to wait and see, little Kelsi," the man interrupted my thoughts. That really shook my insides out.

_How—What the?_My eyes flew wider than ever before as shock and horror swam deep within their green depths, like two strands of wire laced into one. _I am…sure I wasn't thinking aloud, and how the heck does he know my name?_

"This little game of ours has barely begun, my dear," the silhouette almost hissed, "but as it progresses, your questions will no doubt be answered—" He paused to snicker softly. "Although, I hold no doubt you'll find the path you must scale to learn these answers quite…distasteful." He chuckled once again, laugh low and cunning. "But I, on the other hand, know for a fact_I'll_ enjoy it _immensely_." His last words were cryptic, involuntarily erupting a shudder from me.

I swallowed hard, fear ensuring I was unable to think straight. A whirlwind of questions were flashing through my mind like a racing filmstrip, but before I could grasp one, another quickly took its place, much to my undying exasperation; however, my thoughts suddenly skidded to a painful halt as my ears perceived the four mortifying words the stranger soon spoke, their voiced etched with sick enjoyment.

"Let the hunt commence."

A petrifying ambiance began to choke me without mercy as the stranger's torturous laugh reverberated off the walls the cruel shadows of night had dyed black. Before I could so much as cry out in crushing terror, his silhouette amongst the shadows swept towards me, and a pitiful yelp pried my lips apart as a foreboding _ring_ met my ears. As he swept through a tiny ray of moonlight, hissing my way, a silver object momentarily gleamed within the hand the light illuminated.

It was then that my mind fully grasped the dire situation…and it was then that I cried out in anguish as a sharp wave of pain shot through my upper arm. Instinctively, my right hand immediately gripped the precise wound slashed into my left arm.

"Silly, silly girl," I heard the mechanical voice murmur softly from behind. "If you think that _miniscule strike_ agonizing, then this will certainly be far less entertaining than I'd first anticipated."

I would've surely whimpered something unintelligent if fear hadn't harshly lodged my voice within my throat; instead, I wheezed for air that fear yearned to deny me.

"Aww; don't tell me my little toy lacks claws," he hissed; a shrill sound that could evoke a shudder from even the most valiant.

I had to get away; I had to flee this madman's brutal wrath. My eyes narrowed with fear and bravery combined, like some insane chemical reaction of the mind. It was then that I reclaimed my voice. "Leave me alone, you demented psycho!" I roared as I suddenly fled for the sliding door...and no doubt for my life!

His insane laughter lashed through the room, although his rushing footsteps were nonexistent. I hastily stumbled through the door; and of all the times that one could trip over _air_, this was the worst of the worst! My piercing scream shot through the otherwise desolate night like a powerful tsunami shot through the sea.

I anticipated harsh waves of pain to puncture my nerves, but instead I was met by an icy grip. "It seems you _do_ possess a no doubt _entertaining_ fire about you." The ruthless shadow clutched my wrists in a vice like grip, a sinister chuckle escaping his lips. _What in the—How the hell did he reach me so swiftly and silently?_

"My dear Kelsi," he sneered, one hand leaving my wrist to reach for something beneath what I discerned as a cloak, billowing in the slight, eerie breeze. No sooner had he gripped this object did he suddenly thrust me towards him; and with an abrupt swish of his arm, a restricted choking noise spiralled from my lips as a sudden ice-cold object penetrated deep into my flesh. It felt as if my eyes had rolled into the back of my head from the overwhelming waves of pain…An almost unbearable pain that seemed to set my body ablaze, creating pitiful pleads within my mind directed at the Grim Reaper himself, to simply end my suffering. "You've no idea of what awaits," the wicked man whispered shrilly in my ear.

My breath caught in my throat as his index finger found my chin (although the hot, sticky liquid that crept up my throat could've also played a factor) and he harshly jerked my head upwards. Pallor pitifully swept across my face as my fading vision—quickly surrendering to the seemingly peaceful darkness—was viciously greeted by two daunting, lavender pools; the only feature of his that I'd seen…thus the only one I was able to picture now, through a blackening sight that was already influenced by the night's shadows.

Not even wrenching me limb from limb would heighten the pain that jolted through my body; and I'd finally reached the point of surrender. "Until we meet again," my vision faded to black as his final words faded into the far off distance, "my eternal puppet…"


	4. Chapter 3: Eyes That Ease And Burn

**CHAPTER 3  
****Eyes That Ease And Burn**

_Instantly following the first of many petrifying experiences, sickening despairs in which I've always met an agonizing and hopelessly dire end, I found myself upright in my bed, reality somewhat graciously greeting me; informing me that what I'd experienced was fictitious. It was a pity this cordial reassurance was weighed down by my undying dread. Sweat dripped from my furrowed brows while my chest heaved sporadically; miserably, my splutters proved virtually ineffective in satisfying my fearful hunger for oxygen. No amount of air seemed to ease my erratic breathing and, of course, when my friends cried out my name, their tones heavy with panic and concern, and when they pleaded I inform them of the source behind my panic, I failed to share with them lies of a delightful and stupendously tame dream. In fact, I involuntarily avoided any and all conversation regarding my dream until morning. I simply yearned to dismiss that which couldn't be; not for the life of me. When my mind had thankfully ripped me from that nightmare, this was what I'd said to my pleading friends._

* * *

My pitiful whimpers resounded throughout the shadow-ridden cabin as I stumbled from my bunk bed and my sweaty feet soon met the wooden floor, smooth and cool beneath them. My breathing was irregular, only hastened when a faint glow beyond the glass of the sliding door met the corner of my teary eye. I screamed as a vague image of the merciless silhouette from my nightmare flashed through my mind, and I quickly stumbled away from the door, into a campmate behind me that I paid no mind to identify.

With a trembling index finger, I gestured weakly to the sliding door, my eyes weighed down by sombre trepidation. "What was that?" I cried as my free hand flew to my mouth, muffling the words that followed the action. "What the hell was that! Somebody just check!" I whimpered as my knees began to sway merciless, struggling to bear the petrifying emotions that seized me within their almost impenetrable grasps. "I swear, just someone please check the frickin' door!"

As Lillian raced to comply with my pitiful cries, the unidentified person that stood in clear alarm behind me spun me to face her. "What the heck is wrong, Kelsi?" Jazz, I realized, cried with wide hazel eyes that flashed with the same tone of alarm as that of a foreboding siren. "You're a freaking wreck!"

I abruptly jerked my head from side to side. "No! No!" I insisted with a streak of insistent assurance everyone immediately knew to doubt. "I-I'm—" I paused to force down the hot bile churning in my constricted throat, my quick and heavy breaths drying the saliva within my mouth as my world hastily began to spin. "I-I'm totally fi-fine, you guys!" I asserted with pleading, insistent nods of my head. "Just a...simple nigh-nightmare!"

I knew I was lying, just as I knew I was presently succumbing to an emptying mind, any and all thoughts being smeared by a sickening feeling of hopelessness. My body began to tremble without mercy as I instinctively clutched my pounding skull. "I...Guys, I don't..." I never seized the opportunity to complete my panic-laden words, a repulsive feeling akin to the concluding sensation in that of my dream ruthlessly engulfing my teary sight.

* * *

_Yes, I passed out. That, in actual fact, is the reason I was unable to share with my friends words regarding my dream until morning. I was out until around five o'clock in the morning, my friends unfortunately ordered by teachers to return to their beds; the teachers, however, knew my friends would only gossip for an hour or two about the exciting ordeal I had caused, which would unsurprisingly branch to other conversations amongst them. There was no way they would return to their slumbering for at least an hour. Unsettlingly, there was a situation I deem significant, which is where I found myself following my awakening in Camp Adair's rather basic medical centre._

* * *

With eyes weighed down by troubled rest, flashes of venomous lavender eyes and wicked roars of laughter profuse in my dreams, I struggled to pry my heavy eyes apart. I was met by a blurred vision and a headache that brought forth an agonized groan from my lips. As I levelled myself into a sitting position on a soft surface I discerned as a mattress by its texture beneath my hands, I gazed directly before me with wide, yet unseeing eyes. Panicked by my jumbled vision, I awaited the colours to assemble into a clear image with unsteady breaths.

After a few moments of silence, save for my rushed breathing, my gaze was finally met by a room shrouded in darkness, although rays of moonlight penetrated through closed curtains and illuminated this space well enough that I could recognize it. Yesterday, on the first day of camp, I had come here with Lillian to get some aspirin for her toothache. She'd had her braces tightened the day before. This was Camp Adair's medical centre.

My first thought involved remembering my reason for being here; my second was, _Surely I'm not alone here._ I glanced at the area where I recalled the door being. I perceived a dim light easing its way beneath it and realized someone must've been in the small waiting room beyond the door, which basically consisted of the nurse's desk and a pair of leather couches fit for two.

I hastily left the warmth of the bed, noting I still wore my black pyjamas with yellow moons that I'd retired to bed in last night, before all these terrors had come into play. The creak of the wooden floorboards beneath my feet made me a little uneasy, but I figured if I rushed for the wooden door that separated me from the soothing light beyond it, I would be rid of the creaky floorboards and find myself relieved at being with whoever was within the other room, instead of all alone. Loneliness was presently something I dreaded with a blazing passion.

Quickly, my fingers encased the doorknob and gripped it tightly, then immediately swung it open. It was then that I was met by the same lavender eyes that would be forever chiselled into my frightened memory, and my horrified scream was suddenly muffled by a dark-skinned hand. "Oh my God, let me go!" I failed to plead through the warm hand that covered my mouth.

My ears were met by a surprisingly gentle murmur. A tone I hadn't expected. "Shh. Kelsi, I hold no intention of harming you." I had been fighting back in panic, determination and horror my fuel, but his smooth words caused me to halt in these actions.

He seemed convinced that I would remain silent, I assumed, because after a moment's silence hung low about the illuminated room, Marik slowly, carefully released me. I raised a brow at his intended gentleness; it was as if by suddenly ripping his hand from my mouth, he believed my lips would somehow be pulled along for the ride. I shook my head a little in an attempt to dismiss that strange thought. "Marik, what-what are you doing here?" I cried in disbelief. "And what's the time?"

Marik glanced at the gold analogue watch adorning his wrist. "It's about a quarter past five," he stated with a simple blink of his eyes.

_Only?_ I thought in disbelief. It seemed like I'd been suffering those same painful images within my dreams for a lifetime and more. "You didn't answer my first question," I retorted bluntly, eyeing him with suspicious orbs that stung every time I blinked. I knew I must've been a sorry sight, especially by the sympathetic gleam within Marik's lavender eyes. Wait— "La-Lavender!" I suddenly burst, my finger flying to point at his entrancing eyes. "Y-Your eyes a-are lavender!"

Marik quirked a brow at this. "Yes," he murmured, his gaze suddenly glazed by a wall of suspicion and aloofness combined. "And what point are you seeking to prove?" His tone seemed to challenge me as his eyes suddenly narrowed dangerously, dominatingly. Boy, was he bipolar!

"Last time I checked, lavender wasn't the most common of eye colours," I found myself hissing through clenched teeth, my fists balled at my sides as they shook in a mixture of fear and irritation. "In fact," I spat, "I wouldn't be surprised if you were the only one in this whole camp with such eyes!"

I was taken aback when Marik suddenly raised an extended hand and I immediately discerned his painful intentions. I stumbled backwards a few steps, while Marik's arm froze. He had been about to backhand me, I was`sure, but I was also flabbergasted, staring with wide eyes as his tanned face hardened, his lip curving into a straight line that reflected an emotion akin to intolerance. "I've learnt all I came here for," he murmured in a soft, cryptic tone that found me shuddering in unease. "Now I've no further need to converse with you." His eyes narrowed a little further, harshness predatorily smothering the gentle warmth that had previously danced within those purple depths only minutes ago. With his final words, Marik spun on his heel as his hands dove into his pant's pockets, and he suavely strode for the door. "Perhaps I'll see you again, Kelsi."


	5. Chapter 4: Illusions In The Water

At the request of _Crimson Puppetmaster_, I finished Chapter 4 of Haunted last night! I hope you all enjoy it! :)

* * *

**CHAPTER 4  
Illusions In The Water**

_From the moment I'd detected the lavender that entranced those icy pools, I knew that Marik wasn't merely one who indulged in solitude. There was more that writhed beneath the surface. It was that morning that my peculiar fear and fascination for Marik Ishtar had truly sparked to life… And it was later that morning that found me the hype of the camp._

* * *

Accompanied by Jazz, Lillian and Monica, I lowered my sight uneasily to the wooden floor, intimidated by the many stares and whispers that had no doubt been brought about by my unfortunate trip to the medical centre. I barely succeeded to suppress the burning tears that lashed at my eyes. This undesired attention only reminded me of the sinister silhouette that had stalked my sickening nightmare; torturing my pitiful mind to the brink of insanity, until I'd writhed in agony so intense I'd silently begged for mercy from the infamous Reaper himself.

The worst was battering my racing mind. I wondered to what extent my fellow students knew regarding last night. Did they know enough to think me crazy?

I stumbled into my seat beside Monica, on an unoccupied table quickly selected by Jazz. I figured she'd chosen the back corner of the room due to the fact it was on the outskirts of the cafeteria, farthest away from the other tables—and prying eyes—as we'd ever reach. It wasn't enough.

My watering eyes were fixed on the table's wooden surface, ridden with graffiti from over the years. Only once did my sight rise to scan the cafeteria. I struggled to disregard the many discomforting stares directed my way as I searched for a pair of icy lavender pools. They were the only eyes that weren't presently on me.

In fact, they were nowhere to be seen.

I felt a gentle hand upon my shoulder. It made me jump. "You should eat, Kelsi," I heard Lillian murmur softly, genuine concern strewn through her voice.

I felt the strain in my voice as I whispered, "I'm not hungry."

* * *

_I had felt weak, feeble…pathetic. I'd been so weighed down by exhaustion that a mere whisper had been spoken through strained lips. And I'd wished that the dream I'd had would be the only strange occurrence I'd come across at Camp Adair. Far from it._

* * *

As the sun rose higher into the sky, it seemed to sear the land with its sweltering hot rays. I could already feel a sweat coming on, so I rolled up the sleeves of my shirt, and silently thanked my mother for reminding me to pack my denim shorts. Lillian was in my camp group, which consisted of ten individuals and our guide. She, on the other hand, wore black attire, which was basically in her nature. Her pale flesh was mostly covered by her long sleeved shirt and baggy track pants. I didn't understand how she could handle such heat, and when I'd reminded her that the sun was most attracted to the colour black, she'd simply shrugged it off.

"So…" I drawled out hesitantly as I scanned the three other people who had arrived already, "who are the remaining five in our group?" I questioned. There was one name in particular that hissed through my mind.

Lillian shrugged, obviously not interested in who was left to arrive. "Those three blonde clones from the cheerleading squad, this Dean dude who's in the lacrosse team." She paused for a moment, pursing her lips thoughtfully as she glanced up at the blue sky.

I bit my lip in what felt like some cruel suspense.

"Oh, and that Marik dude you were chatting up on the bus," she ended, before gulping down five swigs from her water bottle. Mine was already half empty, but my curiosity, on the other hand, was at its peak.

"_He's_ in our group!" I screeched, my words clearly spoken in sheer panic.

"Yeah," Lillian replied, cocking her eyebrow in a questioning manner. I wasn't prepared to answer, and thankfully I didn't have to, for a mere moment later the guide arrived, a tanned woman of about thirty years, with an athletic physique that made me rather jealous.

"Good morning, everyone. I'm Krista, and I'll be your group's guide during your stay at Camp Adair. I hope you all got the memo to put togs on under those clothes, because our hike will involve passing a gorgeous waterfall where we'll be stopping to take a dip." She scanned the group, and I came to the conclusion that she was doing a head count. "Nine of you are here; one's called in sick. Looks like we're ready to go."

* * *

_When her words had met my ears, for some peculiar reason unknown to me, my heart had sunk. The only person that hadn't been present was _him;_I was unable to comprehend how and why it had affected me so much. And don't let the word "heart" mislead you, because it wasn't _that _kind of disappointment. It...was like I felt intrigued by him. Even _attached _to him, like we were linked by something I just couldn't comprehend. But that was hardly the most…intriguing event of the day; and what I'm about to speak of is what really triggered an overpowering fear into the forefront of my mind._

* * *

An hour into our two hour hike, a sense of fulfilment flooded through me as I glanced up ahead to determine that we had almost reached the peak of the hill. We'd been climbing for the last half hour and Lillian and I had no qualms on agreeing that it was torture. And the sweltering rays of the sun that beat down upon us without mercy did nothing for our exhaustion.

"Thank God!" one of the three blonde cheerleaders cried just ahead of me. There was only one thing that could be presently prompting those words from her lips.

I perceived the thunderous sound of water pounding upon water; I was relieved mere moments later when, as I reached the peak of the hill. My eyes were pleasantly surprised by an entrancing image of a mighty waterfall, gallons of cool water gushing into the large pond below, carved by Mother Nature's invisible hands.

Suddenly, I felt like that last hour of walking was worth the torture. When I glanced to my left at a sweaty Lillian, her expression was one of serenity. No words were needed to know that she agreed.

I breathed a tranquil sigh, feeling more at ease in this moment than I had all day.

"Well what are you punks all doing just standing there?" I heard our guide shout from up ahead. "Do you think the water's gonna drag you in by itself?"

Lillian and I snickered as some much needed energy roused within us. We broke into an all-out sprint down the small dip of grass that led to the waterhole. Once we reached a small clearing beside the pond, I dumped my duffy bag to the ground and began to rummage through it for my orange and white striped towel. Once I found it, which didn't take long considering I like to keep my bag well-organised, I set it beside my bag for my return. Then, I removed my shirt and shorts at a casual pace, revealing a bright red bikini with small, white polka dots splashed across it. I dumped the clothes on the ground beside my towel.

"Ready to take a dip?" I heard Lillian shout.

I nodded as I turned to face her with a small smile. I silently noted that she was wearing a black one piece, which was a striking contrast against her translucent, pale skin.

Lillian scrambled into the water with a little amount of grace. I approached it in a more orderly fashion, stopping to admire the calm water before me. It was a clear shade of emerald, dotted with moss green leaves from the lush greenery that surrounded the waterhole. The water was so smooth that I could see a clear reflection of myself upon its surface. I stared at myself for a moment, minutely frowning at my thighs. I was never happy with the size of my legs, even though my friends insisted that there was nothing wrong with me.

My eyes trailed up my body until it reached my face. The dark circles that blemished my under-eye deepened my frown, and I was suddenly reminded of the daunting dream that had caused my exhaustion. Those menacing lavender pools lashed through my mind.

All of a sudden, a chilling breeze rustled through the trees around me and slid past my fair skin. My body shivered in response. I glanced up at the trees as they swished to and fro, as much of a pawn as I to the merciless elements. When my sights returned to the waters surface, I froze. Through water rippled by the sudden gust of wind, two lavender orbs stared up at me. And I stared back…

They were captivating. Gentle even. And I found myself unable to rip my eyes from their compelling gaze. Upon further inspection, I perceived what I concluded to be loneliness swimming within their depths. My eyes watered as familiar words echoed through my mind. "_Solitude is my only company…"_ I minutely wondered if he wanted it to be.

My heart suddenly pounded against my chest when a whisper tickled my ear. "Save me, Kelsi…" a pitiful voice whimpered. A voice I knew.

_From what?_

From him…

_From who?_

From myself...

Suddenly, malice sparked to life where gentleness had only just been. I choked on a breath of air as a sinister laugh hissed in my ear, and goose bumps blanketed my skin without mercy. A sharp breath lodged itself within my throat as a murky silhouette rose from the unseen depths of the pond. It was black…featureless…like a shadow with two insane lavender eyes.

I tried to scream , but fear had swallowed every ounce of voice I had. I tried to run…or at least stagger backwards, but my feet wouldn't budge. I stared with wide eyes as it grew and grew until it loomed over my trembling form, its arms and legs extending from its body like thick, shadowy tendrils.

"You're _mine_," I heard a mechanical voice hiss, dripping with sick enjoyment. Longingly, it reached out for my pitiful, frozen form with eerie, black claws.

I heard a distant scream as someone cried out my name.

And then all went black.

* * *

That last bit was a serious _beep_ to write. Took my about three quarters of an hour to get it to where I half-way accepted it. :/ As always, reviews are appreciated!


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